Serves 30 (makes 2 boxes with
people)
freeze unbaked
dough
Takes 2 hrs 40 mins plus chilling,
cooling and setting
Cost per serve 46p
275g golden syrup
400g soft light brown sugar
400g unsalted butter
1 lemon, zested
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp mixed spice
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1kg plain four, plus extra
for dusting
1 large egg, lightly beaten
For the icing
300g icing sugar
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
To decorate
250g red fondant icing
2-3 tbsp silver pearls
1 tbsp red velvet dusting
COOK’S TIP
Keeping the
dough on the
nonstick baking
paper you rolled
it out on stops
it losing its shape
when you move
it around.
62
1 Put the golden syrup, sugar,
butter, lemon zest, ginger and
mixed spice in a large saucepan.
Stir gently over a low-medium heat
until the sugar has dissolved.
2 Turn up the heat and bring briefly
to the boil. Remove from the heat
and tip in the bicarb; the mixture
will froth. Beat briefly to combine,
then set aside to cool for 15 mins.
3 In batches, fold the flour into the
cooled mixture. Beat in the egg,
scrape the dough onto a lightly
floured surface and knead for 1 min.
Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hr.
4 Cut out a 14cm and an 18cm
square template on thick paper
or card. Roll out the gingerbread
between sheets of nonstick baking
paper to 4mm thick. Using the
templates, cut out 6 small and
6 large squares of gingerbread and
transfer to lined baking trays (see
tip, left). Put in the freezer for 5 mins
to firm up. Remove 3 of the smaller
squares from the freezer, cut out
decorations (see pic A, right), then
return to the freezer for 5 mins.
5 Meanwhile, use the remaining
dough to cut out gingerbread
people or other shapes around
8cm long. Transfer these to a lined
baking tray and freeze for 5 mins.
6 Preheat the oven to gas 5, 190°C,
fan 170°C. Bake in batches – the
dough squares for 12-14 mins
and the gingerbread people for
6-8 mins – until golden brown at
the edges. Leave to cool and set for
5-10 mins on the trays, then transfer
to wire racks to cool completely.
7 Once the gingerbread is
completely cool, sift the icing sugar
into a bowl and add the beaten
egg white and lemon juice. Use an
electric hand mixer to whisk on a
low speed for 2-3 mins until smooth
and spreadable (B). Add 1-2 tsp
water and whisk for 3-4 mins to
stiff peaks. Spoon about half the
icing into a piping bag fitted with a
medium (8mm) round nozzle.
8 To assemble, pipe icing along
2 edges of a small square placed
flat on a work surface. Start sticking
the other sides onto this piece (C).
When assembling the small box,
don’t stick the lid down on top –
keep it loose. Repeat for the large
gift box, this time completing it with
more icing and its lid. Set aside for
at least 2 hrs to set hard.
9 Spoon the remaining icing into a
piping bag fitted with a small (5mm)
star nozzle, then pipe rows of stars
to cover the edges (D). Pipe
decorations onto the sides of the
smaller box, and eyes and buttons
on the gingerbread people. Use a
little red fondant and silver pearls
to decorate the boxes and people.
10 To make the ribbon, roll out red
fondant to 5mm thick and 30cm
long. Cut into 4 x 2cm-wide strips
(E). Brush one side lightly with cold
water, then carefully stick to the
large box, starting at the base and
joining each piece at the top in the
centre to create a ribbon effect.
Cut away any trimmings, then
RECIPE MIMA SINCLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY KRIS KIRKHAM FOOD STYLING EMMA JANE FROST PROP STYLING JENNY IGGLEDEN
G I N G E RB RE A D G I F T B OX E S